Antirattling device



Dec. 14 192e. 1,610,929

J. F. cAvANAGH ANTIRATTLING DEVIE` 'Filed June 5, 1926 Patented Dec. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES inane PATENT oFFl-CE..

JOHN F. CAVANAGH, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND. ASSIGNOR TO APCO MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A COREORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

ANTIRATTLING DEVICE.

Application :filed June 5,

This invention relates to anti-rattling devices for use on the steering-connections and` radius-rods of automobiles and consists of improvements in the construction and method of operation of the same.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the type specified for connecting the parts of the steering-gear oi the vehicle to provide for their normal operation while preventing play and lost motion, due to wear or other causes, whereby `to eliminate vibration and rattling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type specified having resilient pressure-means for restraining the` parts from undue play and chattering, which means is adapted for adjustment to regulate Vthe degree of pressure applied without removing the device or disconnecting any of its parts.

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification, which describes a preferred embodiment of `the invention as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of the running-gear of a motor vehicle showing its iront axle, the radius-rods for bracing the axle from the chassis, and certain parts ot the steering-gear with which the present improved anti-rattli'ng device is adapted for use;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the complete antithe device shown as adapted for use with the steering-connections; and 4 Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view oi a portion oi' the device taken on line 5-5 of Y Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, A

designates the front axle of an automobile of the Ford type and K, K are the steeringknuckles pivoted to its ends. Connecting the arms la, 7c of the steering-knuckles K, K is a. distance-rod or drag-bar D which is pivoted to the ends of the arms at CZ, CZ. Y EX- tending rearwardly from the axle A are two radius-rods R, R which converge to a joint J having a ball-end 2 by means of which the 1926. seriai No. 114,032.

rods are pivotally secured to some part of the chassis of the automobile, for instance to the under side of the transmission-case.

At one end of the drag-bar D is a projecting arm 3 formed with a ball-end 4 for joining v it to a steering-rod C. The steering-rod C extends from a crank-arm S which is operated from the steering-post ot the vehicle, not herein shown. The crank-arm S terminates in a ball-end 5 for connecting it to the steering-rod C, and the present improv-ed device is adapted for use on both ends of the steering-rod as well as-on the ball-joint ofA the radius-rods R, R, previously described. The usual method of joining the steeringrod C to the drag-bar D and steering-arm S is by means of a split socket-bearing having its opposite parts bolted together to enclose the sides ofthe ball-end on these parts. The same arrangement is also used on the balljoint at the ends of the radius-rods, and during the` operation of the vehicle these couplings are subjected to considerable stress and strain. The soclreted bearings for the ball-ends therefore soon become worn, so that there is undue play and lost motion between tlie parts which results in rattling and chattering as the vehicle is driven over uneven roads or rough pavement. To correct this condition it has already been lproposed toV employ a slidable spring-pressed plunger in the socketed clamp which bears against the ball-end whereby to take up the Wear between the parts. rThe present invention relates to a device oit this type and the improvement consists in providing a housing for the spring-pressed anti-rattling plunger wherein are embodied means for adjusting the tension of the spring-without removing the clamp or housing or disconnecting any of thev other parts oit' the device.

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings,.8 designates the socketed block or bearing which is bolted to the under side of the transmission-case of the automobile and pro- `vided with a hemispherical recess 9 for receiving the ball-end 2 at the joinder of the radius-rods R, R. In place of the usual socketed cap which fits over the ball 2 and bolts to the bearing 8 my improved device employs a housing or cap l0 constructed as next described. The housing 10 comprises a pocket-like casing v11- provided with suitable ears l2 on its sides which are bored to receive bolts 13 for fastening it to the under side of the bearing 8. The casing 11 is hollowed out in hemispherical format 14 to adapt it to enclose a portion of the ball without contact therewith, and the neck 15 which connects the ball to the rods R, R' pro-v In the bottoniv of the casing 1l is a circu` lar Ahole 17 adapted to receive the slotted head 19of a stud 20 which'extendsaxially ofthe casing in the direction of the ballend 2. Thehead 19 of the stud 20 isforrned with a projecting rim or flange'2l which abuts the-bottom-of-the casing'll to hold' the stud in= place therein. On theA underside of the flange 21l are beveled-protuberances or detent-lugs 22 which vare adaptedv to seat in Y notches or recesses 23 formed in the ybottom or end wall of the casing-11. The recesses 23 'cooperate with the detent-lugs 22inthe manner of a ratchet, whereby to normally hold thestud'20 from turning in the bore or aperture-of the casing 11. The stud 20 is exteriorly threaded to' adapt it to receive a nut 2e which is adj ustablethereon for a purpose as later described.

Adapted-to bear against-the exterior oi the ball-end 2 is a plunger 25 having a recessedhead 26 for closely fitting the surface of ,the ball. spring 27 surrounds the shank of the plunger 25 with its opposite end held on the end of the stud 2O abutting the nut 24.

In assembling the anti-rattling device on the ball-end 2 of the radius-rods R, R theV stud 20 is placed in position in the casing l1 with the spring 27 held on its upper end and the plunger 25 seated in the opposite-end of the spring. The complete housing 10 is then placed-inrposition as shown in Fig. 2 and the bolts 13 inserted through the holes-in the ears 12 and screwed into the bearing 8 to clamp thehousing thereagamst. As the bolts are set up to draw the housing into' placethe spring 27 will becompressed to cause it toforce the'head of the plunger-25" pressure' snugly against the ball-end 2. The of the spring thus tends to hold the ball 2 snugly inthe 'socketlY of the bearing-mein-A ber 8 to prevent it from vibrating or chattering. lVhen the ball and its socket become worn so that ,there is any-considerable play or lost motion between the/ball and its bearing-member the device is adjusted to increase the tension ofthev sirinff 27. 'llhisadjustment of thespringcan be performed if'ery readily and conveniently by simply tur-ning'thev stud 20 in its bearing in the casing 1.1.V A screw-driver is inserted in the slot in the head 19 of the stud 2O Vand-when A relatively 'heavy helicalr a turning movement is applied thereto the ratchet protuberances or detents 22 on the iange-21 will ride-up outfof their notches 23 inthe end of the casing 11 under the yielding action of the spring 27. That is to say,`the pressure'of the Yspring 27 normally holds'the detente 22 Aigaged intheir notches 23,-but when the stud 20 is turned the spring permits it to move longitudinally whereby the detents operateA with a ratchet action with respect to the sockets ln this way the stud-20fcan be turned to thee-stent` required'to adjust the uut 24 longitudinally thereof to 'contract'the spring 27 tothe desired amount. It i'sto be understood that the nut 24 lits within the hexagonal sides of the casing 11 with only a slight clearance therebetween. "l he casing 11 therefore holds' the nut `251 from turning when the stud '2O Vis turned so that the nut will be adjusted longitudinally of 'the stud `to compress 4the spring to increase its tension. Itwill thus be seen that the-tensionI of the spring'may be adjusted to control the pressure-of the plunger on the ball-end 2 without removing" in Figs. 2 and 3 as adapted for use with the ball-end 2 of the'radius-rods. lThe end of the steering-rod C carries a fitting or socket-member 30 having a hollow'shank surrounding the rod and provided with a soclretcd bearing 31 at its end. Gn the sides of the bearing 81 are ears 32 provided with holes for receivingbolts 33. The bolts' extend through the apertured ears 12 on the housing' 10 with nuts 35 at their ends for drawing the parts together. InV this embodiment ofthe device the plunger 25 is held in the housing 10 in the same vmanner as above described to adapt it to bear" on the ball-end l with the spring 27 forcing it thereagainst. The stud 20 is likewise adapted to be turnedto adjust the nut 24C to regulate the pressure of the spring.

It will beobserved from=the aboveft-hat my invention providesanf extremely simple and compact device for housing the springmakes for greater ease and convenience-inapplying the device tok use and for regulating its `action `to compensate ffor wear. Moreover, the devicev is particularlyv neat in ap-v pearance while the operating parts of the mechanism are entirely enclosed and protected from dirt, mud and water. The housing or casing for the operating plunger and its spring provides a pocket or reservoir for grease which maintains the parts lubricated to reduce the wear on the ball and its socket.

Vhile I have herein illustrated a preferred embodiment of the improved device it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of its parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. A11 anti-rattling device for ball-andsocket joints comprising in combination with a socketed bearing-member and a ball received therein, a housing adapted to be attached tol said bearing-member, a plunger slidable in the housing, a screw rotatable in one end of the housing, a nut on said screw, a spring compressed between the plunger and nut, means for holding the nut from turning in the housing, and means for normally holding the screw from rotation while permitting it to be turned to adjust the nut to regulate the tension of thespring.

2. In a device of the type specified, the combination with a socketed-bearing and a ball one side of which is received therein, of a housing enclosing the opposite side of the ball and provided with a pocket, a plunger slidable in said pocket to adapt it to bear against the ball, a spring for holding tne plunger against the ball, a nut in the pocket, means for holding the nut from' turning in the pocket, a screw engaging the threads of the nut and projecting through the pocket, and ratchet-means operative between the screw and the housing to normally hold the screw from turning while permitting its manual adjustment to displace the nut to regulate the tension of the spring.

S. In a device of the type specified, the combination with a socketed-bearing and a ball received therein, of a housing formed with a heXagonally shaped pocket, a screw extending through one end of the pocket, a nut on said screw held from turning` by the walls of the pocket, a spring on the screw arranged with one end abutting the nut, a plunger at the opposite end of the spring adapted to bear against the ball, notches in the pocket, and detents on the screw adapted to engage said notches to normally hold the screw from turning while permitting its manual adjustment to displace the nut to regulate the tension of the spring.

4. In a device of the type specified, the combination with a socketed-bearing and a ball seated therein, of a housing having means for attaching it to said bearing, said housing provided with a pocket extending radially from the ball and formed with hexagonal walls, and notches at one end thereof, a stud in the pocket having a head projecting through one end of the pocket and provided with a flange abutting said end of the pocket to hold the stud in place therein, a nut on said stud held from turning by the hexagonal walls of the pocket, a spring on one end of the stud abutting the nut, a plunger at the opposite end of the spring adapted to bear against the ball, and detentmeans on the stud adapted to enga-ge the notches in the pocket to normally restrain the stud from turning therein while allowing its adjustment to displace the nut to regulate the tension of the spring.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN F. CAVANAGH. 

